Port of Hueneme cargo numbers reach milestone

Total tonnage rises to highest since recession

The Port of Hueneme on Monday posted its strongest cargo numbers since the start of the recession, with healthy gains made in processing its most lucrative cargo, automobiles.

Total cargo tonnage for the fiscal year ending June 30 rose 8.2 percent to 1.32 million metric tons. The last time cargo tonnage was higher was 2007.

The port's new executive director, Kristin Decas, called the results "quite impressive" at a Monday night meeting of the Oxnard Harbor Commission, the port's governing body.

With the cargo numbers in hand, port officials told the commission they foresee strong revenue returns in September, when the port's audit is expected to be done.

Annual revenue increases from 2001 to 2006 were replaced by steep declines after the global economy soured in 2007. In the following years, port officials have pushed to diversify business.

The port has relied heavily on automobile cargo, which generates roughly $22 per revenue ton. By comparison, bananas amount to $4.55 per revenue ton.

The new cargo report shows vast improvement for the Port of Hueneme, the only commercial seaport between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Particularly impressive to port officials was the number of imported and exported vehicles processed, which climbed 20 percent to 240,661 vehicles.

Automobile imports rose 21 percent, partly because of more Hyundai and Kia imports. Honda and Toyota, which opened new U.S. facilities and sent their vehicles to Asia, are primarily responsible for driving exports up 10.3 percent, according to port officials.

At Global Auto Processing Services, a decline in export volumes last year was offset by a substantial uptick in imports, said Michael Wynn Song, senior executive vice president.

At BMW's Oxnard Vehicle Distribution Center, manager Al Cardona said processing has increased 11 percent, and that the trend is expected to continue through 2012.

Also contributing to the year's strong numbers was "high and heavy cargo," or agricultural and construction equipment, which increased 33.2 percent.